The Second Funeral of Napoleon

第9章

Aswecameout，theairandthebuildingsroundaboutweretingedwithpurple，andtheclearsharphalf—moonbefore—mentionedwasstillinthesky，whereitseemedtobelingeringasifitwouldcatchapeepofthecommencementofthefamousprocession。TheArcdeTriomphewasshininginakeenfrostysunshine，andlookingascleanandrosyasifithadjustmadeitstoilette。ThecanvasorpasteboardimageofNapoleon，ofwhichonlythegildedlegshadbeenerectedthenightprevious，wasnowvisible，body，head，crown，sceptreandall，andmadeanimposingshow。Longgiltbannerswereflauntingabout，withtheimperialcipherandeagle，andthenamesofthebattlesandvictoriesglitteringingold。ThelongavenuesoftheChampsElyseeshadbeencoveredwithsandfortheconvenienceofthegreatprocessionthatwastotrampacrossitthatday。

Hundredsofpeopleweremarchingtoandfro，laughing，chattering，singing，gesticulatingashappyFrenchmendo。ThereisnopleasantersightthanaFrenchcrowdonthealertforafestival，andnothingmorecatchingthantheirgood—humor。Asforthenotionwhichhasbeenputforwardbysomeoftheoppositionnewspapersthatthepopulacewereonthisoccasionunusuallysolemnorsentimental，itwouldbepayingabadcomplimenttothenaturalgayetyofthenation，tosaythatitwas，onthemorningatleastofthe15thofDecember，affectedinanysuchabsurdway。Itinerantmerchantswereshoutingoutlustilytheircommoditiesofsegarsandbrandy，andtheweatherwassobittercold，thattheycouldnotfailtofindplentyofcustomers。Carpentersandworkmenwerestillmakingahugebangingandclatteringamongtheshedswhichwerebuiltfortheaccommodationofthevisitors。Someoftheseshedswerehungwithblack，suchasoneseesbeforechurchesinfunerals;somewererobedinviolet，incomplimenttotheEmperorwhosemourningtheyputon。

MostofthemhadfinetricolorhangingswithappropriateinscriptionstothegloryoftheFrencharms。

AllalongtheChampsElyseeswereurnsofplaster—of—Parisdestinedtocontainfuneralincenseandflames;columnsdecoratedwithhugeflagsofblue，red，andwhite，embroideredwithshiningcrowns，eagles，andN"singiltpaper，andstatuesofplasterrepresentingNymphs，Triumphs，Victories，orotherfemalepersonages，paintedinoilsoastorepresentmarble。Realmarblecouldhavehadnobettereffect，andtheappearanceofthewholewaslivelyandpicturesqueintheextreme。Oneachpillarwasabuckler，ofthecolorofbronze，bearingthenameanddateofabattleingiltletters:youhadtowalkthroughamile—longavenueofthesegloriousreminiscences，tellingofspotswhere，inthegreatimperialdays，throatshadbeenvictoriouslycut。

Aswepasseddowntheavenue，severaltroopsofsoldiersmetus:thegarde—muncipaleacheval，inbrasshelmetsandshiningjack—boots，noble—lookingmen，large，onlargehorses，thepickoftheoldarmy，asIhaveheard，andarmedforthespecialoccupationofpeace—

keeping:notthemostglorious，butthebestpartofthesoldier"sduty，asIfancy。ThencamearegimentofCarabineers，oneofInfantry——little，alert，brown—faced，good—humoredmen，theirbandattheirheadplayingsoundingmarches。ThesewerefollowedbyaregimentordetachmentoftheMunicipalsonfoot——twoorthreeinchestallerthanthemenoftheLine，andconspicuousfortheirneatnessanddiscipline。By—and—bycameasquadronorsoofdragoonsoftheNationalGuards:theyarecoveredwithstraps，buckles，aguillettes，andcartouche—boxes，andmakeundertheirtricolorcock"s—plumesashowsufficientlywarlike。ThepointwhichchieflystruckmeonbeholdingthesemilitarymenoftheNationalGuardandtheLine，wastheadmirablemannerinwhichtheyboreacoldthatseemedtomeassharpastheweatherintheRussianretreat，throughwhichcoldthetroopsweretrottingwithouttremblingandintheutmostcheerfulnessandgood—humor。Anaide—

de—campgallopedpastinwhitepantaloons。Byheavens！itmademeshuddertolookathim。

Withthisprofoundreflection，weturnedawaytotherighttowardsthehanging—bridge（wherewemetadetachmentofyoungmenoftheEcoledel"EtatMajor，fine—lookinglads，butsadlydisfiguredbythewearingofstaysorbelts，thatmakethewaistsoftheFrenchdandiesofamostabsurdtenuity），andspeedilypassedintotheavenueofstatuesleadinguptotheInvalides。AllthesewerestatuesofwarriorsfromNeytoCharlemagne，modelledinclayforthenonce，andplacedheretomeetthecorpseofthegreatestwarriorofall。Passingthese，wehadtowalktoalittledooratthebackoftheInvalides，wherewasacrowdofpersonsplungedinthedeepestmourning，andpushingforplacesinthechapelwithin。

Thechapelisspaciousandofnogreatarchitecturalpretensions，butwasonthisoccasiongorgeouslydecoratedinhonorofthegreatpersontowhosebodyitwasabouttogiveshelter。

Wehadarrivedatnine;theceremonywasnottobegin，theysaid，tilltwo:wehadfivehoursbeforeustoseeallthatfromourplacescouldbeseen。

Wesawthattheroof，uptothefirstlinesofarchitecture，washungwithviolet;beyondthiswithblack。WesawN"s，eagles，bees，laurelwreaths，andothersuchimperialemblems，adorningeverynookandcorneroftheedifice。Betweenthearches，oneachsideoftheaisle，werepaintedtrophies，onwhichwerewrittenthenamesofsomeofNapoleon"sGeneralsandoftheirprincipaldeedsofarms——

andnottheirdeedsofarmsalone，pardi，buttheircoatsofarmstoo。Ostarsandgarters！butthisistoomuch。WhatwasNey"spaternalcoat，prithee，orhonestJunot"squarterings，orthevenerableescutcheonofKingJoachim"sfather，theinnkeeper？

YouandI，dearMissSmith，knowtheexactvalueofheraldicbearings。WeknowthatthoughthegreatestpleasureofallistoACTlikeagentleman，itisapleasure，nayamerit，toBEone——tocomeofanoldstock，tohaveanhonorablepedigree，tobeabletosaythatcenturiesbackourfathershadgentleblood，andtoustransmittedthesame。ThereISagoodingentility:themanwhoquestionsitisenvious，oracoarsedullardnotabletoperceivethedifferencebetweenhighbreedingandlow。Onehasinthesamewayheardamanbragthathedidnotknowthedifferencebetweenwines，nothe——givehimagoodglassofport，andhewouldpitchallyourclarettothedeuce。Mylove，menoftenbragabouttheirowndulnessinthisway。

Inthematterofgentlemen，democratscry，"Psha！GiveusoneofNature"sgentlemen，andhangyouraristocrats。"AndsoindeedNaturedoesmakeSOMEgentlemen——afewhereandthere。ButArtmakesmost。Goodbirth，thatis，goodhandsomewell—formedfathersandmothers，nicecleanlynursery—maids，goodmeals，goodphysicians，goodeducation，fewcares，pleasanteasyhabitsoflife，andluxuriesnottoogreatorenervating，butonlyrefining——acourseofthesegoingonforafewgenerationsarethebestgentleman—makersintheworld，andbeatNaturehollow。

If，respectedMadam，yousaythatthereissomethingBETTERthangentilityinthiswickedworld，andthathonestyandpersonalwealtharemorevaluablethanallthepolitenessandhigh—breedingthateverworered—heeledpumps，knights"spurs，orHoby"sboots，Titmarshforoneisnevergoingtosayyounay。Ifyouevengosofarastosaythattheveryexistenceofthissuper—genteelsocietyamongus，fromtheslavishrespectthatwepaytoit，fromthedastardlymannerinwhichweattempttoimitateitsairsandapeitsvices，goesfartodestroyhonestyofintercourse，tomakeusmeanlyashamedofournaturalaffectionsandhonest，harmlessusages，andsodoesagreatdealmoreharmthanitispossibleitcandogoodbyitsexample——perhaps，Madam，youspeakwithsomesortofreason。

Potatomyself，Ican"thelpseeingthatthetulipyonderhasthebestplaceinthegarden，andthemostsunshine，andthemostwater，andthebesttending——andnotlikinghimoverwell。ButIcan"thelpacknowledgingthatNaturehasgivenhimamuchfinerdressthaneverIcanhopetohave，andofthis，atleast，mustgivehimthebenefit。

Orsay，wearesomanycocksandhens，mydear（sansarrierepensee），withourcropsprettyfull，ourplumesprettysleek，decentpickinghereandthereinthestraw—yard，andtolerablesnugroostinginthebarn:yonderontheterrace，inthesun，walksPeacock，stretchinghisproudneck，squealingeverynowandtheninthemostpertfashionablevoiceandflauntinghisgreatsuperciliousdandifiedtail。Don"tletusbetooangry，mydear，withtheuseless，haughty，insolentcreature，becausehedespisesus。